contact lens management
New Solutions for New CL Materials
Peroxide solution increases patient success
with silicone hydrogels.
KEN
DANIELS, O.D., F.A.A.O.
The
success of contact lens wear is often affected by lens care solutions. A major concern
for most of us is patient compliance with care products. When a patient presents
with acute or delayed sensitivity, or complains about these "great new lenses" you
prescribed, it's important to ask which care product the patient is using. Frequently
the response is, "Whichever is on sale." But some products are not compatible with
the newer materials. New technology lenses mandate prescribing new technology care
products as well. I've found that a single-bottle peroxide solution system, such
as Sauflon Pharmaceuticals' One Step Peroxide Solution, helps increase success with
contact lens wear.
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Sauflon's
One Step system features a wetting agent to increase comfort.
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Peroxide does the job
Many studies regarding ocular safety and effectiveness
of disinfection favor simple peroxide systems over multi-purpose systems. Peroxide
systems can effectively clean the intra-matrix and surface of the contact lens.
This system utilizes a coated platinum disc as the catalyst to decompose the peroxide
to an isotonic solution. Any residual peroxide is neutralized by the natural peroxidase
of the tear film. The manufacturer supplies the disc, as well as a case, with each
new supply of solution. This helps to ensure compliant disinfection.
Silicone hydrogels have high levels
of lipid uptake, which can lead to reduced wettability and subsequent microbial
contamination, so thorough cleansing is important. Researchers at the University
of Waterloo have demonstrated that lipid proteins adhere to the front and back portions
of the silicone hydrogel lens surface.
Immersing
lenses in a simple peroxide solution will allow for proper disinfection and lipid-protein
cleaning and thereby provide optimization of material performance on the eye.
It benefits your practice too
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Sauflon One Step Peroxide Solution |
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SYSTEM
COMPONENTS:
TRIAL PACK (FREE OF CHARGE):
3.4
oz.
ONE-MONTH PACK: 12
oz.
All packs include One Step
Solution, lens case and platinum
disc neutralizer.
SYSTEM INGREDIENTS:
terile 3% hydrogen peroxide solution containing 0.00025% poloxamer
stabilized with phosphonic acid and buffered with phoshpates. |
Several patients have commented that this peroxide
solution eliminates the irritation previously associated with their contact lens
wear and allows them to wear their lenses longer. This is partly because the system
is made more comfortable with an added wetting agent. We also prescribe and sell
the solutions in our office. The manufacturer then mails the next shipment of solutions
automatically to the patient and reminds the patient before the solutions run out.
So they're less likely to change from the solutions we recommend.
Additionally, these solutions are not
available in stores or online. We provide them at a lower cost than other peroxide
solutions found in stores. We make as much as $48 profit per patient, per year on
the solutions alone, which is sometimes more profit than on the contact lenses themselves.
This new simple peroxide system provides
an easy first step to increase successful contact lens wear, which translates into
better patient retention.
DR. DANIELS IS ADJUNCT ASSISTANT
CLINICAL PROFESSOR AT THE PENNSYLVANIA COLLEGE
OF OPTOMETRY AND IS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE AT HOPEWELL-LAMBERTVILLE
EYE ASSOCIATES IN NEW JERSEY.
Optometric Management, Issue: March 2006